Disk Utility icon

Learn about Disk Utility

You use Disk Utility to configure and manage disks. You can verify and repair damaged disks and disk permissions, partition disks, and erase disks. You can compress selected files into a single file called a "disk image" to move or back up your information. You can also set up a data storage or backup scheme using multiple hard disks.

Repairing disks and disk permissions

If you have problems with a disk or volume, you can use Disk Utility to test and repair it. To start, select the disk or volume, then click First Aid.

If you see a message that you can't open a file because you don't have permission, Disk Utility may be able to repair the permissions for you.

To start, select the disk or volume, then click First Aid. To learn more about repairing disks and disk permissions, click these links.

bullet Repairing disks

bullet Repairing permissions


Partitioning disks

You can use Disk Utility to divide a disk into sections, called "volumes." You can use volumes to store and organize your information for your convenience. Partitioning a disk erases all the information on the disk, so be sure to back up any important information before you partition the disk. To learn more about partitioning disks and managing volumes, click the link below.

bullet Partitioning disks


Erasing disks

You use Disk Utility to erase disks and volumes. To start, select the disk or volume and click Erase.

Erasing a disk or volume removes the information needed to access the files, but doesn't actually remove the files. If you want to erase the actual files, click Security Options.

To learn more about erasing disks, click the link below.

bullet Erasing disks


Working with disk images

You can use Disk Utility to create a "disk image," a file that stores other files or folders of files. When you create a disk image, you can create it using a folder or disk, or you can create an empty image to add files to later. You can use a disk image to move files from one computer to another or to send to other people in emails. You can also burn a disk image on a CD or DVD disc as a backup copy of your files. To learn more about creating disk images, click the link below.

bullet Working with disk images


Burning CDs and DVDs

You can use Disk Utility to burn a disk image on CD or DVD. You can also use Disk Utility to erase some types of CDs and DVDs. To learn more about burning CDs and DVDs, click the link below.

bullet Burning CDs and DVDs


Restoring your files

If you back up your files using a disk image or another disk, you can use Disk Utility to restore your files if there is a problem. To start, click Restore then specify the source and destination for the files. To learn more about restoring your files, click the link below.

bullet Restoring your files


Using a RAID set

If you have a critical application that requires high-speed data access or data redundancy, you can use Disk Utility to set up a RAID scheme. A RAID scheme uses several hard disks instead of one to store files. The scheme you select manages storing and accessing your files for you. To learn more about setting up and using RAID, click the link below.

bullet Using a RAID set